NCJ Number
214062
Date Published
January 2006
Length
12 pages
Annotation
This paper analyzes data from law enforcement and the criminal courts to determine the stages at which sexual offenses lapse from the criminal justice system in New South Wales (NSW).
Abstract
The findings suggest a number of important avenues for future research and reform, such reasons why police and prosecutors do not commence criminal proceedings, what improvements can be introduced for victims who report sexual offenses to reduce the trauma associated with the investigation and criminal proceedings, and what improvements can be made in the collection of evidence to strengthen cases and improve the prospect of conviction. In New South Wales (NSW) in 2004, the number of sexual offenses reported to police exceeded the number of proven charges by about 10 to 1. It is estimated that approximately 8 percent of sexual offenses committed against children and 10 percent of recorded sexual offenses against adults reported to police are ultimately proven at court. In the early stages of the criminal justice process, more than 80 percent of sexual offenses reported to police did not result in the initiation of criminal proceedings. The data indicates that criminal proceedings were more likely to be initiated if the victim was over the age of 10 years at the time of the offense, if the victim was female, if the gap between offense and reporting was less than 10 years, if the alleged offender was known to the victim or if the offense involved some aggravating factor. In order to show the progress of sexual offenses through the criminal justice system of NSW, this report provides information on the stages at which sexual offenses lapse from the criminal justice system and the characteristics of sexual offenses that proceed through various stages of the criminal justice system. Tables and references